Motor vehicle



0a. 12, 1943. w. BANTA 2,331,593

MOTOR VEHICLE Filed April 19, 1940 INVENTQR. 2mm Haiti:

TTO NEY;

Patented Oct. 12, 1943 7 2,331,5 3 :MOTOR vEincLE V v Walter Baum Detroit, MiGh-Qas'Sighor to Pack.

ard Motor Car Compan poraticn of Michigan l t M h-{e wr- Application April 19, 1940,,SeriaLNo. 330544} This invention relatesto motor vehicle trans missionmechanism and moreparticularly to; the type including an overdrive...

- :Motor vvehicle transmission mechanism is now commonly equipped with drive modifyingmechanism such as anoverdrive or an underdrive.

Usually the driven transmission shaft is coupled with planetaryigearing and the planetary gearing is coupled with the tail. shaft, the latter coupling usually being'in the form of ashiftable positive clutch that can-be coupled directly to the trans missicn shaft for a direct: drive. Thispositive clutchv is usually arrangedto be shifted either by means of a Bowden wire extending to the in-- 5 Claims. I (01; 74-260) tric system for controllingc drive modifying mechanismi: r' Fig; 2 is a: side elevation partly hroken away; or a 7 transmission 5 incorporating the invention; 3'is a'iragmentary'sectionalz .view of the control: pawl for the planetary gearing of drive modifying mechanism with tha-clutch shifting mechanism in:- loclced positibmwandfof. the governor controlled switch in the'paiwlg control system; s 'f s In Elie-Leisansenlargementpo a portion of the driyemechanism: shown in partly in; section'; r

a Fig; its a sectionalyiew humanities-ism.

strument board for actuation by the driver or Fig.4; r s I l automatically by means of the shift mecl ianism Fig-N G is a sectional View on liner 6.'-& of the transmission forestablishin-g reverse drive. of Figr l'. 7

The planetary sun gear is arranged to be held or released by' a pawl under the control of a solenoid in an electrical system having several switches in series. One-0t these switches is controlled by a, governor and the others are usually operable by the driver. When all of the'switches are closed, the pawl is actuated to hold the-sun gear and establish overdrive through the planetary gearing, and'when'any one of the switches is -open then the pawl will release the sun gear so that the drive will be directeither through-a one-way clutch or through the positive clutch.

With the two-way clutch heldin direct coupling relation while the transmission is driving in reverse, it has beenjpossible' for the governor switch to function to move the pawl into holding relation with the sungear and under such ccndition breakage will occur because of the coupling of the positive clutch with the planetary, the transmission shaft and the tail shaft.

It is an object of the invention to provide driv-' ing mechanism of the character referred to in which the sun gear cannot be held while; the

drive is in reverse. Another object ofthe invention is to provide driving mechanism of the character referred-to in which the governor switch is ineffective to establish overdrive while driving in reverse:

A- further object of" the invention is to provide a drive for a governor controlled switch in transmission overdrive mechanism that is operative only while the transmission is drivingin one direction.

Other objects of the-invention will appear from the following description taken in: connection.

with the drawing; which form a part of this specification; and-in which: 1

'F'ig; 1 is-a diagrammatic showing of the elec'-- The drive moditying' A is arranged at; the rearixof; a: transmission B and both; are carried in: a having; a par-- titicn; wall. D.. .Ehe transmission 'aconventicnal: change .speed'lgearing type commonly em;

ployed; with motor vehicles: includes: a: driven. shaft-*, a low: forward speed driver-gear M a. reverse: idler gear 1:3: driven: gear; ;I splined;

the lay shaft Bf'anda clutch: and gear member wardly thereofis the. tail l'fl suitahlyimounts edrin: bearings "H5 in the casing rear walliffl A clutch huh I8: is". splined'i to the Send of the driven shaft and at. itsarearendserves asabearing for the pilot 20 extending. into/the'tad-L shaft.=' Hub 1 9 also; has atooth clutch. plate 2.1; and camisuriaces 22 termed therewith the camsurfaces having'rollersfl mountedthereon. The? t tail shaft hasan enlarged forward annular rim portion 24:,theihtfior surf-ace of which aetsa bearing for the roll'ers 23' and the outer sur .faoe'of which is formed clutch: teeth: 25.

shiitable sleeve-clutch: 2E drivin'gly engages the clutch: teeth 251 in all positions o1 its'art-iustment and can" be shifted into or out of engagement with the clutch: plate 2L When clutch-16 cm gages fclutch plate 21? direct two-,way positive drive'will be established fromthe d'ri ven shart;

' IE! to the tail shaft I8. When theclutch zfi is disengaged. .from. .elutclr plate. 251 them. the. oneway drive "can: be established: by the overrun mechamsm :indicated: at.

ning clutch rollers 23 wedging between the cam surfaces 22 on the hub l9 and the tail shaft rim portion 24.

Between clutch plate 2| and the casing partition wall D is arranged planetary gearing by means of which a modified drive can be established from the transmission shaft ID to the tail shaft. ,A carrier 30 is splined to the driven shaft l and carries pins on which planet gears 3| meshing with the sun gear 32 and ring gear 33 are mounted. The sun gear is rotatably mounted on shaft In. An extension 34 is drivingly splined to the planetary ring gear and is constantly engaged by the sleeve clutch 26 to establish a drive from the planetary gearing to the tail shaft when the sun gear is held stationary. The sun gear has a ring extension splined thereon having recesses 4| in its periphery.

The sun gear ring extension lies partly in a recess in the partition wall D and pawl 48 is slidably mounted in the wall for movement into or out of one of the sun gear recesses 4|. When engaged in one of such recesses, the pawl will hold the sun gear from rotating so that the planetary gearing is in driving relation to modify the drive from shaft III to the tail shaft, and when the pawl is released from the sun gear, the plan'- etary gearing idles.

The pawl is controlled by an electric and spring system having several types of control means. The pawl has a stem 42 that extends into housing 43 fixed on casing C in which is arranged a solenoid F including two coils 44 and 45. These coils when energized provide for moving the rod and connectedpawl in a direction to enter one of the recesses 4| in the sun gear ring but entrance tothe recesses is prevented by an apertured blocker member 46 extending in the path of such movement and frictionally rotatable by the sun gear extension. Upon reversal of torque thisblocker member will shift with the sun gear so that itsaperture registers with one of the recesses 4|. allowing the pawl to pass through to engage and hold the sun gear from rotating. Likewise upon torque reversal with the solenoid deenergized, the pawl can be removed from the sun gear recess by suitable spring release means The electrical system'for controlling the: engine ignition and the solenoid includes the motor vehicle battery. 50, ammeter 5|, ignition switch 52, coil 53, ignition distributor 54 and engine starter switch 55. The ignition switch, ammeter and a manuallycontrolled switch 58 are arranged at the vehicle instrument panel (not shown); The dash switch, a grounded governor controlled switch 58 and a foot operated kick switch 59 are connected in series. Also located at the instrument panel is an indicator light bulb 60. There is a connection 6| between the battery and the. ammeter 5|, another connection 62 between: the ammeter and the ignition switch 52, another connection -63 between the ignition switch. and the coil 53 and a connection 64 between the coil and thedistributor 54. Switch 58 is grounded and there is a connection 58' between this switch andthe kick switch 59. There is a connection 65 between the kick switch and dash switch56.

For a detailed showing of theelectrical system and controls, reference may be had to application Serial No. 279,165, filed by Clyde R. Paton, June 14, 1939. i

In the solenoidhousing is provided a bracket structure 68 within which a slidable armature 69.

- fixed on the pawl rod. Spring 41 normally exerts sufiicient pressure to hold the armature disengaged from the sun gear when the solenoid is deenergized.

Spring 12 when compressed is charged to move the pawl into one of the recesses 4| in the sun gear but if allowed to do so while the gear is rotating breakage would occur. The blocker ring 46 is arranged to prevent the entrance of the pawl under influence of spring 12 into a sun gear recess until torque reversal takes place. Winding coil 44 is arranged to have suflicient capacity to overcome the spring 41 and move the armature toward the pawl when the solenoid is energized, and the winding coil 45 is designed to have sufficient capacity to hold the armature in extended position into which it is shifted by the primary winding coil. Coil 44 is connected with contact arranged to lie out of the path of movement of the armature cap and in relation to be engaged by the grounded switch arm carrying contact 14 that lies in the path of movement of the armaturecap and normally engages contact l5. Thus when the armature is energized, movement of the cap flange will carry the contact 14 away from contact 15 to thus break the circuit through coil 44. The holding coil 45 is grounded so that it will hold the solenoid in the position it has been moved to by coil 44 after the circuit is broken by disengaging contacts l4 and 15. This movement of the armature does not shift the pawl rod but compresses spring 12 thus cooking the pawl until torque reversal takes place. Torque reversal must .also take place before the pawl can be withdrawn from the sun gear recess by spring 4'1 during operation of the transmission, and this is accomplished by temporarily grounding the engine ignition sys- In the ignition and solenoid control system there is a relay having two coils'8| and 82 controlling three plunger solenoid switches 83, 84 and 85. Connector 86 leads from line 6| to one contact of switch 83 and connector 81 leads from the other contact of switch 83 to the signal light 60 and to the primary relay coil 82. Coil 8| is connected at one end with connector 86 and at the other end with connector line 88 leading to a contact of the lock-out switch 56. One contact of switch 84 is connected with a contact of switch by line 89 and the other contact of switch 84 is connected with line 54-by line 90. Coil 82 is connected with the grounded solenoid coil 45. by line 9| and one side of switch 85 is connected with a contact of the grounded switch contact by line 92. One end of solenoid coil 44 is connected by line 93 with line 81 leading to the light bulb 60 and the other end of this solenoid coil is connected with contact 14. A normally closed switch consisting of a grounded contact carryg ing arm 94 and contact carrying arm 95 are arranged above the switch contacts Ill and H, the arm 94 being normally in closed position. This arm 94 is held away from contact 95 by the switch 1|, when the armature is in extended assists Whenrthepawl 4.5,.iswithdrawnfro1n than gear so that it 'isfree to rotate and clutch :25 is disengaged from'clutchzplate 2I., the drivev'wil'l be from shaft It to theitail shaft through hub. l8 and the overrunningrollers 23. tiWhen'th'esun gear is free and clutch 28 is. shifted to engage plate. 2 l, the drive will beidirectand two-sway be tweenshaft 'I I3. and they tail shaft. When the sun ear is held stationary by. the. pawl '45, .clutchxi-fi must be disengagedf from. vclutchvplate "Zhand provides a driving connection .between the planetarygearing andthe-tailshaftg. J" 1- As previouslyrstated: the clutchand gear meme her I 4 is slidably splined on transmission shaft 1-0:. and itsshifter, I6 can be movedby suitable mechanism to positively engage clutch-teeth? IIIIIJ on low speed forward zdrive gear I I or to engage reverse idler gear l2. Inordertoprovide a posi-' tivedrive from shaft It to. the tail shaft .wher i the clutch and gear member -I4 mesheswith the reverse drive gear,'mechanism isprovided to be actuated by the shifting mechanism for clutch and gear member M to shift the clutch '25 into engagement with plate 2I Such mechanism cone sists of a stem It! axially movable through casing wall I) having an enlarged end I51" engaged by and shiftable with clutch shifter member-315 when moved from. neutral position into 'r'everse drive establishingposition. 1 This stem Nil engages the bent end I 52 of a rod- 153 suitably mounted. to slide axiallyzin'a wall of casing C. Rod I63 terminates in av reduced-end I04 that extends through clutch yoke ILB51and: the shoulder formed by the two diameters .of, such. rodabuts the yoke. Thus rod I03 will move the clutch yoke I65 therewith when moved rearwardly by rod I IN upon shifting of the clutch and gear member I 4 rearwardly from neutral position to.

establish reverse drive. This rearward movement of the clutch yoke, upon the establishment of reverse drive in the change speed gearing, will have shifted clutch 26 .to' establish a positive drive between shaft I and the tail shaft through engagement with clutch plate 2! fixed on shaft I 0, clutch 26 at all times being splined to the tail shaft. I 7

, The switch 58 is under the control of a governor arranged to be driven in accordance with the vehicle speed through mechanism that is operative only during forward drive. On the tail shaft is fixed gear I55 and meshing therewith is a gear ll carried by a shaft I52. The lower end of the shaft is rotatabl'ymounted in a socket I53'in casing C and the-upper end of such shaft is formed with cam surfaces I5d. The hollow end spring means opposing the icntward? muvementicrt the. weights" by. centrifugal force resulting. from rotation of the drivingshaft means." The weights are arranged to control the position of an over center switch mechanismfiIfiZ that is connected tojcontact-Ir53of line 64: and adapted-to be 'ene gaged or spaced from ground contact. I64. nil-his centrifugal switch. is of :conventionafdesign is arranged to be opened below some predator mind vehiclea'speed, andito be closed above'apree is. pressed down beyond wide. open throttleposi of shaft I55 telescopes the cam surfaces providing a space for the one-way clutch rollers I56. The upper end of this shaft I 55 is of reduced diameter and formed with cam surfaces I51, similar to surfaces I54. One end of a two-part shaft I58 telescopes the cam surfaces I57 and oneway drive clutch rollers I59 are provided therebetween. These two clutches operate similarly and are arranged to provide a driving coupling determined vehicle speed provided. the governor is being driven. Thus when the transmission is driving .the1vehicle in reverse there willbeno drive-through the governor shaft means andthe governor switch 58 will. be open so thatthe pawl cannotbe moved by the electric control system t'o hold thesungear.

The. kick switch .59 is arranged :to be normally closed but can be opened when the throttle pedal tion; As the switches; 5.6.. =L58'and: allarein: series, they must all be closedto; energizethe solenoid to establish overdrive. When inc-forward direct drive with switches 56 and. 59 closed, thelgovera nor switch. 58. will automatically close abovev some predetermined. vehicle speed, thus energizingzthe electrical. control, system and .lclosing normally open switch '83 and opening normally closed switch 84 in the relay. "This allows curr'entktii flow to the. solenoid cocking coil .441 and; to the indicatorbulb 6.9 as well as through the'secondl' relay coil which closes switch. 85 toperrnitgcun rent to energize .the solenoid; holdingtzcoilsfl'; 'llhe f indicator light; on: the; instrument iboa-rd: reminds the driver that :the mechanism. isc-ready to be shifted. to-overdrivev and this is 'ZllCGOIIllDliShGdbM lifting the foot from the; accelerator pedal-thus allowing the sun gear to slow down and reverse so that the blockerv will shift and allow the pawl to be shifted into a sun gear recess by the cocking' coil spring 12. Pawl plunger motion in engaging direction shuts off the'indicator lightby opening switch 'II, I'II, breaks the cooking coil circuit by opening switch contacts I4, 15 and allows switch contacts 94 and 95 to engage.

Direct drive may be obtained by opening any one of the switches 56, 58 and 59. This breaks the circuit in the main relay coil 8I,-opening switch 83 and closing switch 84. The circuit to 7 the second relay coil 82 is also broken but the disconnection is not immediately made because it is held by a momentary surge of current produced by the magnetic energy in the holding coil 45. During this instant, since both switches 84 and 85 are closed, the ignition is short-circuited for a brief time and the resulting hesitation of the engine, although imperceptible, removes the torque 'pressure from the pawl and allows its withdrawal by spring 41. Thus while in over- I drive and forward direct drive is desired, the kick I switch is opened by movement of the accelerator pedal beyond wide open throttle position, or by shifting clutch. 25 to engage plate 2I. Of course direct is also established when the governor switch automatically opens.

When the reverse gearing is engaged the clutch 26 is shiftedto provide direct drive from the shaft I!) to the tail shaft andthe shift rod I01 and clutch yoke I05 will be shifted together due tains clutch 26 in shifted position thus coupling plate 2| and the tail shaft. With the control mechanism herein described it is impossible for the pawlrto be moved to over-. drive position while the drive is in reverse.

1 Althoughthe invention has been described in connection with a specific embodiment, the principles involved are susceptible'of numerous other applications which will readily occur to persons skilled in the art. The invention is therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the appended claims. 2

What is claimed is:

. 1. In a vehicle transmission overdrive mechanism, a planetary gearing, said gearing including a sun gear adapted to be held or released to establish overdrive or direct drive, a shiftable pawl, spring means normally releasing said pawl from the sun gear, electro-magnetic means operable to cause the pawl to engageand hold the sun gear including a switch, and governor means controlling said switch including a one-way drive. 2 ..In a vehicle transmission mechanism having a transmission shaft selectively operable to drive the vehicle forwardly or reversely, planetary gearing coupled to the transmission shaft including a sun gear, a tail shaft, a pawl shiftable to hold or release the sun gear, clutch means drivingly connecting the planetary gearing with the taillshaft and shiftable to drivingly connect the transmission shaft directly with the tail shaft, control means for the pawl comprising spring means urging the pawl out of engagement with the sun gear, an electro-magnetic system for engaging the pawl with the sun gear including a switch, and governor means controlling the switch comprising a one-way drive coupled to the tail shaft, said governor drive operating only'when the tail shaft is turning in a forward drive direction.

3. In a vehicle transmission overdrive mechanism for a tail shaft, planetary gearing including a sun gear, ashiftable pawl operable to hold or release the sun gear, an electro-magnetic system operable to actuate said pawl including a switch, a governor operable to control said switch, and drive means for the governor driven from the tail shaft including a one-way drive clutch. V 4. In a vehicle transmission drive, planetary gearing including a sun gear adapted to effect an overdrive when held stationary, means shiftable to engage and hold said sun gear, a spring normally disengaging said means from said sun gear, an electro-magnetic system including a control switch adapted to move said means into holding engagement with said sun gear, a governor operable to close said switch when said transmission mechanism is in forward drive and above a predetermined speed, and a governor drive operable from the transmission mechanism including a one-way clutch.

5. In a vehicle transmission mechanism, a driven shaft, a tail shaft, planetary gearing connected with said shafts including a sun gear, said gearing driving the tail shaft at a different speed than that of the driven shaft when said sun gear is held, shiftable means for holding or releasing said sun gear, a spring urging said shiftable means in one direction, electromagnetic means including a switch operable to urge said shiftable means in the opposite direction to that in which itis urged by said spring, a governor operable to control said switch, and one-way mechanism driven from the tail shaft for operating said governor.

WALTER BANTA. 

